Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1887-09-10

clearly seen from the great peaks of the range
hundred mises away.
1t is marvellous sight, his golden flower
upborne upou the cool v nite marble walls,
and doubt If the world can show such an
other. What makes tho whole effect even
more gorgeous is that belt of $50 feet
around the marble wall of the temple is
planted with an indigenous species of sun
flower, which were at the time when we first
saw them a sheet OF golden bloom.
The main entrance 90 this wonderful place
is between the two northernmost of the rays
or petal courts, and Is protected first by the
usual bronze gates, and then by doors made
OF solid marble, beautifully carved with allie
gorical subjects and OVERLAND with gold.
When these are passed there is only the thick
ness of the wall, which is, however, twenty
five feet (for the Zu-vendi build for all time),
and another slight door, also of white marble,
introduced in order to avoid causing visible
gap in the inner skin of the wall, and you
stand in the circular hall under the great
dome. Advancing to the central altar you
look upon as beautiful sight as the iniagina-
ton of man can conceive. You are in the
middle of the holy place, and above you the
great white marble dome (for the inner skin,
like the outer, is of polished marble through
QUIT arches away in graceful curves some
thing like that of st. Pauls in London, only
at a slighter angle, and from the funnel like
opening at the exact apex bright beam Of
light pours down upon the golden altar At
the east and the west are other affairs, and
other beams of light stab the sacred twilight
to the heart. In every direction, white,
mystic, wonderful, open out the ray like
courts, each pierced through by a single
arrow of light that serves to iIlumine its
lofty silence and dimly to reveal the monu-
ments of the mighty dead
Overcome at so awe inspiring sight, the
vast loneliness OF which thrills the nerves like
a glance from beauty's eyes, you turn to the
central golden altar, in the midst of which,
though you cannot see it now, there burns a
pale but steady flame crowned with curls of
faint blue smoke. 1t Is of marble overlaid with
pure gold, in shape round like the sun, four
feet in height and thirty-six in circumference.
Here also, hinged to the foundations Of the
altar, are twelve petals Of beaten gold. All
night and, except at one hour, all day also,
these petals are closed over the altar itself ex-
actly as the petals of water lily close over
the yellow crown in stormy weather, but
when the sun at midday pierces through the
funnel in the dome and lights upon the golden
flower, the petals open and reveal the hidden
mystery, only to close again when the ray has
passed.
Nor is this oil. Standing in semicircles, at
equal distances from each other on the north
and south of the sacred place, are ten golden
angels, or female winged forms, exquisitely
shaped and draped. These fgGies, which are
slightly larger than life size, stand with bent
heads in an attitude of alteration, their faces
Swallowed by their wings, and are most i'm
posing and of exceeding beauty.
There is but one thing further that calls for
description in this altar, which is, that to the
east the flooring in front of it is not of pure
white marble. as elsewhere throughout the
building, but of solid brass, and this is also
the case in front of the other two affairs.
At the temple gates our party was received
by guard Of soldiers, who appeared to be
under the orders Of priest; and by them we
were conducted into one of the ray or "petaln
courts, as the priests call them, and there left
for at least half an hour. Here we conferred
together, and realizing that we stood in great
danger of our lives, determined IL any attempt
should be made upon US, to sell them as dearly
as we could-Umslopogaas announcing his
fixed intention Of committing sacrilege on
the person of Agon, the high priest, by split
ting his venerable head with Inkosi-kaas.
From where we stood we could perceive that
an immense multitude were pouring into the
temple, evidently in expectation Of some un-
usual event, and could not help fearing that
we had TO do with it. And here may ex-
plain that every day, when the sunlight falls
upon the central altar, and the trumpets
sound, q burnt sacrifice is offered to the sun,
consisting generally of the carcass Of sheep
or an OK, or sometimes Of fruit or corn. This
event comes Off about midday; not always
exactly at that hour, but as Zu-Vendis is sit
uated not far from the line, acknowledging
SO high above the sea it Is very temperate
midday and the falling Of the sunlight on the
altar were generally simultaneous Today
the sacrifice was to take place ut about eight
minutes past twelve.
Just at 10 o'clock priest appeared. and
made sign, and the officer of the guard sig
nified to US that we were expected to adj
vance, which we did with the best grace that
we could muster, all except Alphonse, whose
irrepressible teeth instantly began to chatter.
In few seconds we were out of the court and
looking at a vast see Of human faces stretch
ing away to the farthest limits of the great
circle, all straining to catch glimpse of the
mysterious strangers who had committed
sacrilege; the first strangers, mind you, who,
to the knowledge OF the multitude, had ever
set foot in Zu-Vendis since such time that the
memory of man runneth not to the contrary.
AS we appeared there was a murmui'
throughout the vast crowd that went echoing
away up the great dome, and we saw visible
blush Of excitement grow ON the thousands
of faces, like pink light on a stretch OF pale
cloud, and very curious effect it was On
we passed down lane cut through the heart
of the human mass, till presently we stood
upon the brazen patch of flooring to the east
OF the central altar, and Immediately facing
it. For some thirty feet around the golden
winged figures the space was roped Off, and
the multitudes stood outside the ropes
Within were a circle of white robed gold
cinctured priests, holding long golden truin
pets in their hands, and Immediately in front
of us was our friend Agon, the high priest,
with his curious cap upon his head. His was
fha only covared head in that vast assem-